Get your criminal record check for Waterloo online — no appointment, no trip to the station. Results in 15 minutes or less.
Average processing time
CPIC database search
No in-person visits
No need to visit a police station or wait in line. Complete your criminal record check from anywhere in Waterloo. Most checks are processed in 15 minutes or less during business hours.
Your personal information is protected with bank-level encryption. All data is stored in secure Canadian data centers and handled in full compliance with federal and provincial privacy laws.
Bridgewater Police Service searches the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database to provide accurate and comprehensive results. Same quality as in-person checks from local police services.
Our criminal record checks are accepted by employers, landlords, volunteer organizations, and licensing bodies across Ontario and all of Canada.
Click "Start Your Check Now" and fill out your personal information. Takes about 3 minutes. You'll need a valid government-issued ID.
Pay with your credit card through our secure payment system. Add rush service for $10 to skip the queue during busy periods.
Bridgewater Police Service searches the CPIC database on your behalf. Our system works 24/7 to deliver fast results.
Your criminal record check arrives in your email inbox. Most Waterloo residents receive results within 15 minutes during business hours.
Many Waterloo employers require background checks for new hires, especially in healthcare, education, finance, and security sectors.
Schools, sports organizations, and non-profits in Waterloo often require criminal record checks for volunteers working with vulnerable populations.
Landlords in Waterloo may request a criminal record check as part of the rental application process.
Many professional licensing bodies in Ontario require criminal record checks for certification and renewal.
Immigration applications usually need an RCMP-certified check based on fingerprints, taken by an accredited fingerprinting company in Waterloo. An online name-based check like ours does not meet that requirement.
Many Waterloo residents order checks for their own peace of mind or to maintain personal records.
In the City of Waterloo, police record checks come from the Waterloo Regional Police Service, the police service for the whole Region of Waterloo. Each of its three check types costs $40 (volunteer rates are lower). You apply online, and results are emailed as a digitally signed PDF, usually within 3-5 business days. Roles working with vulnerable people need WRPS's Vulnerable Sector Check, not a basic check. WRPS North Division is at 45 Columbia Street East, Waterloo, but record-check ID checks and fingerprinting happen at 150 Maple Grove Road, Cambridge.
| Comparison | SafeHire (online) | Waterloo Regional Police Service |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $64.99 | $40 for each type (Criminal Record Check, Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, Vulnerable Sector Check). With a volunteer letter: Criminal Record Check and Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check are free, and the Vulnerable Sector Check is $20. WRPS does not publish any separate online processing fee. |
| Turnaround | Most results in 15 minutes | Usually 3-5 business days, depending on how many applications are waiting. |
| How to apply | Online, 24/7, from any device | Online only, at waterloo.onlinepolicecheck.ca, paying by Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card. If you have to show ID or give fingerprints in person, go to the Police Reporting Centre, 150 Maple Grove Road, Cambridge (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., closed statutory holidays) within 90 days. |
| Who can apply | Anyone living in Canada | Residents of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. WRPS does not do checks for people living outside Canada, who are sent to the RCMP. Applicants under 18 are served only for government positions or where the law allows an exemption. |
| ID | Government photo ID, verified with your phone camera | Identity is first checked online through Equifax Kount, using your credit history. If that fails, you must bring two original government-issued IDs (one with a photo) that together confirm your name, date of birth and address, plus proof you live in the Region of Waterloo. Photos of ID on a phone are not accepted. |
| Vulnerable sector check | Not available — see below | Offered for $40 ($20 for volunteers), only for people seeking work or volunteer roles with authority or trust over vulnerable people. Fingerprints at 150 Maple Grove Road, Cambridge may be required if you have a criminal record or your date of birth and sex match a pardoned sex offender record. |
| Result | PDF emailed to you | Emailed as a digitally signed PDF. Printed copies are no longer available, and printing the PDF voids its digital verification. |
Waterloo Regional Police Service details from Waterloo Regional Police — Apply for a Police Record Check and Waterloo Regional Police — Identification Verification: WRPS Guidelines & Requirements and Waterloo Regional Police — Hours and Locations, checked September 2026. Fees and times change — confirm with the police service before you apply there.
Ask whoever requested the check which type they need before you order. The difference matters: an online check is a standard criminal record check, and some roles in Ontario require a vulnerable sector check that only the police can do.
SafeHire can’t issue a vulnerable sector check, and neither can any other online provider. It has to come from Waterloo Regional Police Service. Here is what they require.
Offered for $40 ($20 for volunteers), only for people seeking work or volunteer roles with authority or trust over vulnerable people. Fingerprints at 150 Maple Grove Road, Cambridge may be required if you have a criminal record or your date of birth and sex match a pardoned sex offender record.
From Waterloo Regional Police Service, checked September 2026. Confirm before you apply.
Not sure which one you need? Compare a vulnerable sector check with a standard criminal record check.
The Waterloo Regional Police Service charges $40 for a Criminal Record Check, a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, or a Vulnerable Sector Check. If you upload a volunteer letter, the first two are free and the Vulnerable Sector Check is $20. SafeHire's online standard criminal record check costs $64.99, or $10 more for rush service.
WRPS says record checks are usually delivered within 3-5 business days, depending on how many applications are waiting. Results arrive by email as a digitally signed PDF. SafeHire returns most results in about 15 minutes.
WRPS serves residents of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, which includes Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge. If you have to show ID in person, you need proof that you live in the Region. People living outside Canada are sent to the RCMP. SafeHire is online, available 24/7 to anyone living in Canada.
If a job or volunteer role gives you trust or authority over vulnerable people, you need WRPS's Vulnerable Sector Check. Some Vulnerable Sector Checks need fingerprints taken in Cambridge. SafeHire's check is a standard criminal record check (an RCMP CPIC national database search done by Bridgewater Police Service), not a vulnerable sector check.
Most criminal record checks for Waterloo residents are completed within 15 minutes during business hours. Some checks may take up to 24 hours depending on database availability. Rush service is available for priority processing.
Standard criminal record checks are priced competitively. Rush service is available for an additional $10. We offer transparent pricing with no hidden fees. See our pricing page for current rates.
No. Our standard criminal record checks cannot be used for vulnerable sector screening. Vulnerable sector checks require fingerprinting and must be done in person through local police services.
Yes. Our criminal record checks are conducted by Bridgewater Police Service using the CPIC database and are accepted by employers, landlords, and organizations across Waterloo, Ontario, and all of Canada.
The check shows any convictions without pardons as of the search date. It does not include juvenile records, pardoned convictions, absolute or conditional discharges, or outstanding charges that haven't resulted in conviction.
Waterloo employers across various industries require background checks. Find requirements specific to your field.
Join thousands of Waterloo residents who trust SafeHire for fast, secure background checks.